[oman-l] Re: Majlis ash-Shura

Wed, 13 Aug 1997 11:37:46 +0200 (MET DST)

On Tue, 12 Aug 1997, Brian Evans wrote:

> I picked the following stories off of the Khaleej Times and Gulf News
> websites....

I append a message from Reuters already two months old. 

Reading the basic law, I don't see any developments towards a
constitutional monarchy. Article 5 reduces the possible aspirants to the
throne from the Al Bu Said to the Al Said and thus strengthens the claims
of the royal family to power. Article 6 determines the mode of succession
- Qaboos designates a successor which will be nominated unless the ruling
family comes to a conclusion within 3 days after the Sultan's position
becomes vacant. This ensures that the hereditary Sultanate can continue
smoothly. Article 41 determines that the Sultan is not only Head of State
and Commander of the Armed Forces, but that he has to be honored and his
orders have to be obeyed. This formula in a basic law to my mind is a sign
that the Sultan's rule remains unquestioned.  I suggest that Shura is
enhanced so as to receive information about the people's desires more
easily. However, the basic notion as expressed in the basic law remains
that of a benevolent dictator rather than that of self-determined
citizens. Article 42 makes the Sultan head of executive, judicative and
legislative powers - so the basic law excludes a separation of powers
which to me seems a fundamental element of democracy. Article 43 reads
"The Sultan shall be assisted (tu'awin al-sultan) by the Council of
Ministers" - this again points to Shura as opposed to greater
participation.

Greetings

Nikolaus A. Siegfried
Universitaet Hamburg
Volkswirtschaft
Von-Melle-Park 5
20146 Hamburg
fon: 040 - 4123 - 6407

 MUSCAT, June 17 (Reuter) - Oman's Sultan Qaboos issued
 a landmark decree allowing women across the country to
 stand for election to the Shura Council, the country's
 consultative body, the official Oman News Agency (ONA)
 said on Tuesday.

 Interior Minister Ali bin Hamoud bin Ali al-Bousaidi said the
 decree came within the framework of ``widening and
 developing the experience of popular consultation in Oman
 and affirming the importance of the participation of Omani
 women,'' ONA said.

 The minister said the sultan's directive also enabled women to
 nominate candidates for election to the council. Candidates
 will be nominated within the next two months, but Sultan
 Qaboos has the final say in picking the body's 80 members.

 During Oman's last Shura Council elections in 1994, the
 government granted women living in the capital Muscat the
 right to stand for election and make nominations, but their
 participation was limited to the capital's six provinces.

 In an unprecedented move in conservative Gulf Arab states,
 Sultan Qaboos appointed two of the nominated women to the
 council in November 1994.

 Oman, an independent oil producer, announced the creation
 of the Shura Council in 1991. It studies proposed legislation
 and is intended to widen representation in the government.

 Diplomats say that despite its lack of decision-making or
 legislative powers, the council has become an important
 sounding board for public opinion that no minister can
 ignore.

 Some other Gulf states have similar consultative bodies and
 Kuwait has a parliament, but they do not include women.